Lesson Ideas

Every season has a beginning--and those beginnings are the solstices and the equinoxes! In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby identify the first days of spring, summer, fall, and winter. From the vernal equinox to the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox to the winter solstice, you’ll follow the sun’s changing paths across the sky from one season to the next. Explore how the tilt of the earth’s axis leads to longer and shorter days, as well as some wacky effects at the equator and the poles. Learn where the words “equinox” and “solstice” actually come from, and see why the Northern and Southern Hemispheres have opposite seasons. Finally, discover why so many cultures around the world celebrate the solstices and equinoxes as holidays!